Thursday
Jul 10
2008
Canefire
Jeremy Ledbetter and CaneFire
CaneFire is a high-energy Caribbean music experience that features the steelpan (steel drum) in a way you’ve never heard it before. The original compositions of pianist and bandleader Jeremy Ledbetter form the basis of CaneFire’s repertoire, combining Trinidadian calypso with Latin rhythms, jazz, and blues to create a unique, exciting sound. At the heart of this sound is its unconventional use of the steelpan, played by Mark Mosca, who is quickly establishing himself as one of the world’s most skillful and creative pannists. The Toronto-based group also includes Cuban powerhouse Alexis Baró on trumpet; soul screamer Braxton Hicks on the tenor sax; Yoser Rodriguez on bass; and the explosive duo of Chendy León on drums and Alberto Suárez on congas. CaneFire will take you on a journey through the Caribbean, with world-class musicianship and enough raw energy to melt the stage – Caribbean jazz with FIRE!
CaneFire’s Canadian leader Jeremy Ledbetter was classically trained on the piano from the age of seven and studied jazz performance at York University in Toronto. Since then, having lived and worked in Trinidad and Tobago, Australia, Cuba, Venezuela, the USA, and Nicaragua, Jeremy has acquired a wide range of musical influences to draw on in his compositions, which bring together several musical cultures from a distinctly Canadian perspective. Since 2002, Jeremy has worked alongside Trinidadian legend David Rudder as musical director, pianist, arranger and producer. He has also shared the stage, as a performer or musical director, with Andy Narell, Charlie’s Roots, Andre Tanker, Celso Machado, Percy Sledge, Eliana Cuevas, Charlie’s Roots, Robert Greenidge, Nene Quintero, Atlantik, and Ralph MacDonald, touring extensively throughout North America, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
Back in Canada, Ledbetter brought together a group of Toronto’s finest young musicians from a variety of backgrounds to form CaneFire. Since the group’s premiere, at Toronto’s Lula Lounge in May 2005, CaneFire has performed at the Beaches International Jazz Festival, Harbourfront Centre, the Toronto Centre for the Arts, the Atlantic Jazz Festival, the St. John’s Jazz Festival, and represented Canada at the Trinidad and Tobago Steelpan and Jazz Festival in 2006 and 2007. CaneFire’s debut CD, Kaiso Blue, was recorded at CBC’s Studio 211 in Toronto, and includes guest performances by Andy Narell and Venezuelan vocalist Eliana Cuevas.
Website: "www.canefire.ca":http://www.canefire.ca
Canefire artist bios
Jeremy Ledbetter (Canada) – Musical Director, Piano
Jeremy Ledbetter is a versatile young composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who has covered a lot of ground in his short musical career. Jeremy grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, and was classically trained on the piano from the age of seven. He later went on to complete a degree in jazz performance at York University in Toronto. Now, having lived and worked in Trinidad and Tobago, Australia, Cuba, the USA, and Nicaragua, Jeremy has acquired a wide range of musical influences to draw on in his compositions. As a performer or musical director he has shared the stage with Charlie’s Roots, Atlantik, Eliana Cuevas, Percy Sledge, Ralph MacDonald, and Andre Tanker, touring extensively throughout North America, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
Since 2002, Jeremy has worked with Trinidadian legend David Rudder, filling the multiple roles of pianist, musical director, arranger and producer. In 2004, Jeremy was musical director of “The Rhythm River,” a concert featuring Rudder and world-renowned pannist Andy Narell, at Toronto’s Hummingbird Centre. Jeremy reached another career milestone with CaneFire’s debut CD “Kaiso Blue” -- the first time that Jeremy has composed and produced an album of his own original music.
Mark Mosca (Trinidad) -- Steelpan
Mark Mosca has been widely acknowledged by experts around the world as one of the leading exponents of his instrument, the steelpan. A captivating performer with a unique musical approach, Mark consistently raises the instrument to new levels of expression. In his short but promising career, he has performed across Canada and internationally, amazing audiences with the energy and creativity of his live performances. Mark has performed with the Winnipeg Symphony, at the Havana Jazz Festival, and at the St. Kitt’s jazz festival where he appeared with Shaka Khan. Mark is also the arranger and bandleader for “Silhouettes”, one of the most successful steelpan groups in Toronto, which has won several competitions under Mark’s leadership.
Alexis Baró (Cuba) – Trumpet
In the short time since Alexis Baró relocated to Canada in 2001 he has created a constant demand for his exciting, eclectic and unforgettable trumpet playing. Not only has he recorded, performed and toured with numerous high profile artists, he has also attracted Groove United Productions who produced his debut CD Havana Banana, which was released in 2004 to critical acclaim.
Born and raised in Cuba, Baró was classically trained and received a teaching certification from Havana’s Amadeo Roldan Music Institute. Career highlights include opening for the great salsa singer Oscar d’Leon at Massey Hall in Toronto, and performing alongside such noted artists as Wynton Marsalis, John Secada, CaneFire, Sheila E, Roy Hargrove, David Rudder, and The Temptations. Baró is also a member of the award-winning band Kollage.
Chendy Leon (Cuba) -- Drums
From his first percussion lesson, given to him by his father when he was only five years old, Chendy learned at an incredible rate. With no formal music education, he played with all of the local bands and those touring the area throughout his school years. At the age of 18 he began his professional career, playing and recording with many famous Cuban bands and artists.
In 1999, Chendy moved to Canada where he has continued to play with Cuban and international artists and shows, such as the Tropicana Dinner Theatre, Caché, Nick Ali and Cruzao (winner at the 2001 Montreal Jazz Festival), Jane Bunnett, Marcos (with Oscar De Leon), Andy Narell, Hilario Duran, and Eliana Cuevas.
Experienced in just about any style of Latin music, Chendy Leon is one of the most "in demand" Latin musicians in Toronto, playing and teaching workshops all over Ontario.
Alberto Suarez (Cuba) -- Percussion
Alberto Suárez was born in Matanzas, Cuba – a city famous for its rich musical history and rumba rhythms. Alberto began to play percussion at the age 13, and completed formal years of training at both the Matanzas provincial music school and the National Conservatory of Music in Cuba’s capital, Havana.
Alberto worked at several hotels and nightclubs in Varadero, Cuba, before gaining a lucrative position in the acclaimed International Orchestra, directed by Carlos Tarafa. Since his arrival in Canada in 2003, Alberto has taken part in International percussion festivals in Toronto and Longueil, Québec, and has brought a new perspective to Toronto’s Latin music community. Besides being CaneFire’s resident percussionist, he has also performed with Nick Ali, Ruben Vasquez, Jane Bunnett, and Proyecto Charanguero.
Yoser Rodriguez (Cuba) -- Bass
Yoser started his musical studies in guitar at the age of 10 at the Guillermo Tomas Institute in Havana, Cuba. He participated in several Classical Guitar competitions and was awarded 1st Place in the Amadeo Roldan Festival 3 times.
After elementary school, Yoser decided to study bass guitar and upright bass, playing in the Jazz Band Orchestra at the National School of Arts, where he graduated with honors.
Once graduated, he began to play with famous Cuban salsa bands, among them Rojitas, Fiebre Latina, and El Gato Con Botas. At the same time he participated in Jazz Plaza Festival '99, '01 and other festivals. In 2003, Yoser came to Canada, settling in Toronto, where he has quickly become an important part of the music scene in his new home city. Playing with Luis Mario Ochoa, New Cuban Generation, CaneFire, Nick Ali, Cache, Elpidio Valdes and Palmiche, and others, he has played in the Distillery Jazz Festival, Latin Fest Festival, Sudbury Northern Lights Festival and other events.
BRAXTON HICKS (Canada) – Saxophone
Saxophone and Woodwind player Braxton Hicks is an exciting new voice in Toronto’s music scene. At home in an incredible range of styles including Jazz, R&B, Caribbean, Traditional Jazz, Rock, Latin, as well as pit orchestra playing, Braxton is a versatile instrumentalist and leader, in demand as a soloist and section player on all the saxophones, flutes, piccolo and clarinet. He as studied with such notable musicians as Don Englert and Pat Labarbera, Tony Dagradi in New Orleans, as well as with New York saxophonists Harry Allen and Lenny Pickett. He has performed at such venues as The Phoenix, Zooz Amphitheatre, The Brampton Rose, the Trane Studio, and The Mod Club, performing with Lilith Fair singer-songwriter Julie Kryk, George Koller, Clifton David, George Grosman, Eliana Cuevas, the Victory Traditional Jazz Band, and Jeremy Ledbetter's Canefire. Braxton is also the horn arranger and woodwind soloist for Classic Albums Live.